1973] 
Ramousse — A raneus diadematus 
27 
W eight increase 
In each set, the individual weight curves follow two distinct pat- 
terns and no in between: a group with an early maximum (FG) 
and a group with a late maximum (SG). In set I the course of the 
growth of four males with early maxima (between 10th and 15th 
week post hatching) was compared to seven males with late maxima 
(between 22nd and 33rd week post hatching) (Figure 2). In the 
second set the growth of 1 1 males which reached their maximum 
weight between the 8th and 16th week post hatching was compared 
to three males reaching their maximum weight between the 19th 
and 23rd week post hatching (Figure 4). In both sets the SG 
animals needed approximately twice as much time to complete the 
last molt and to attain sexual maturity as did the FG animals. In 
each set the females could be divided into fast and slow growth 
groups in the same way as males. Figure 6 shows the body weight of 
the FG and SG males and females. The data from the two sets 
were combined forming four groups: FG and SG males and females. 
The weight gain per day until maturation, in both sets, was sig- 
nificantly higher for the FG males than for the SG males (set I: 
T = 6,P :: - 0.05; set II: T = 7, P = 0.05). 
The mean weight gain per day between the two last molts for 
each group was : 
set I set II 
FG 
2.09 mg/d 
1.59 mg/d 
SG 
0.64 mg/d 
1. 6 1 mg/d 
In each set, every animal showed a weight gain per day significantly 
higher between the two last molts than during the preceding period 
of observation (Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed ranks test: set I: 
N = 9, T = 3, P = 0.02; set II : N feft 13, T = o, P — 0.01). 
Frequency of building 
Th® mean of webs built per day to reach the last molt were: 
set I set II 
FG 
0.57 web/day 
0.49 web/day 
SG 
0.22 web/day 
0.18 web/day 
